美術館
Meaning in Englishart museum, art gallery
Animated kanji stroke order
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Word context
What it means
美術館 (bijutsukan) means art museum — a building or institution devoted primarily to collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting visual works of art for public viewing, education and research, typically offering both permanent collections and rotating exhibitions along with curatorial and educational services.
Main meanings
- 1. A venue emphasizing fine arts as opposed to natural science or history museums, often focusing on painting, sculpture and printmaking.
- 2. In everyday speech, can be used loosely to refer to any organized exhibition space where art is displayed.
- 3. Occasionally used metonymically to refer to museum activities (exhibitions, events) rather than the physical building itself.
How to use it
Used in formal and informal contexts to name institutions, on signage, in travel guides, academic writing and daily conversation when referring to visiting or hosting art exhibitions; the term is neutral in register and appropriate for official names, ticketing information and everyday plans to go see art.
Variants and close terms
- 博物館 (hakubutsukan) — museum (general, including natural history and science)
- ギャラリー (gyararii) — gallery (often smaller or commercial exhibition space)
- 美術センター (bijutsu sentaa) — art center (multi-purpose cultural facility)
Composition
- 美 (bi) — beauty, aesthetic quality.
- 術 (jutsu) — art, technique, skill; denotes a discipline or craft.
- 館 (kan) — building, hall, or institutional facility.
- Together the characters describe a building or institution for art and artistic practice, yielding the meaning 'art museum' (bijutsukan).
Origin
The modern Western-style concept of 美術館 (bijutsukan) was introduced to Japan during the Meiji period as part of broader cultural and institutional modernization; from the late 19th century onward public and private art museums were established to collect, study and exhibit both Japanese and foreign artworks, expanding significantly through the 20th century.
Word class
noun (名詞)